The fall

Chapter 9

Penelope

My eyes widen at the sight, and I cover my mouth to prevent myself from throwing up. It looks like a whole war spread out, there's so much blood—On the ground, on the branches of the trees, everywhere.
The sight is horrific, and the smell of blood makes me sick.

Me and the others separate from each other too tend the injured, I kneel down to a little girl who's bleeding from her forehead—I take out bandages from my belt pocket, wrapping it around her head in a tender and gentle manner.
"What's your name, sweetie?"

She flinches as I wrap the clean bandage around her head before she mumbles.
"Ashlyn—Ashlyn Gardner..."

I lift my arm as I type her name on my watch, she comes up immediately. Ashlyn Gardner, rank D—Ability: Auditory Perception. (Wide hearing).
I close her information chart before I pat her head taking our earbuds from my belt pocket and placing them in her ears. She must've heard the people dying and the sinners roaming around.
"You're safe now, Ashlyn. Try to relax, we will handle the rest."

She nods as I stand up, I look around the area. Before a boy jumps down from the trees with a pair of vines. I recognize him. He's Lucians best friend, Rowan Torrance, Rank C—Ability: Phytokinesis (Nature Manipulation).
"B rank is on the way!" He calls out in a slight panic.

My eyes widen in horror before I look up at the sky with everyone else, a griffin. A sinner with a lions body and the head of an eagle. I grab the hilt of my sword, this thing is going to eat us all if we don't exorcise it. Especially since there's so much blood that can trigger it.

I whisper-yell between the children.
"Can any of you make a portal..?"

Blake places a hand on my shoulder which relaxes my tension.
"I already checked, none of them are capable of making a portal. There's too many injured, Pen."
He sighs.
"We have to retreat."

I turn towards him.
"But—"

He cuts me off with a dismissive hand.
"Don't think about it, you're too reckless to fight that thing."
I frown.
"Blake, that's not the point—"

He cuts me off once more.
"It's an order."
I let go of the hilt of my sword with a sigh. He nods in confirmation before turning to Gabriella.
"You take the lead with your shadow manipulation."

Gabriella nods as she leads us back into the forest in a hurry as the griffin now lands on the spot we just left, I glance back. The bird is beautiful yet so deadly.

...

The breeze of the forest is erie as usual when we walk back, it's so dark yet I feel some kind of gaze on me. But I don't know where—I stare sideways before I feel a hand on my shoulder as we walk, I jump startled turning my head towards Richard who's holding his gun by the shoulder before he lets me go.
"What's up with you?"

I look down with a sigh as we continue walking.
"I don't know, I guess the forest is getting to me."
He looks ahead att Gabby who's leading the kids and us. I smile cheeky at his stare.
"See something you like, Rich?"

He glares at me sideways as he rolls his eyes in annoyance.
"Well obviously, but she despises me at the moment."
I laugh slightly before. Shiver goes up my spine, I look back—he raises his eyebrow.
"You good?" He asks.

I nod slightly.
"I'm okay, sorry."

He nods in confirmation before we continue walking.
I glance behind me into the dark forest once more as I caress the back of my neck before watching Rich walking up ahead.
I feel a strong arm wrap around my shoulder and I look up seeing Blake, he's frowning.
"What were you two talking about?"

"Just how he's admiring Gabby from afar, why?"

He sighs in relief before pulling me closer, caressing my crimson locks.
"No reason."

I tilt my head in confusion,
Before I look ahead as we reach back to camp. Kaede waves as he rushes towards us, calling out.
"Welcome back! Is everyone alright?"